


Whole New World

by moonlights_glow



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Injury, Mutual Pining, Parent Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:07:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26330878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlights_glow/pseuds/moonlights_glow
Summary: (Y/N) (L/N) transfers to the BAU from White Collar Crimes. And the BAU is a whole new world.
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Reader, The BAU Team & Reader
Kudos: 52





	Whole New World

You sighed and straightened your skirt. You were transferring to a new branch at your job and to say you were nervous was an understatement. The elevator doors opened and you made your way to the double glass doors. You took a deep breath before pulling them open. 

Agent Hotchner was standing at the doors to greet you. “Agent (L/N), welcome to the BAU,” he said, shaking your hand. 

“Thank you, Agent Hotchner.”

“Please, you’re a part of the team, it’s just Hotch. Come on, I’ll introduce you to the team and take you to your desk.” You followed him up the stairs to the conference room. “Welcome to our Round Table. Guys, this is Agent (Y/N) (L/N). She transferred to the BAU from White Collar Crime. Agent (L/N), this is SSA Dave Rossi, Agents Prentiss, Morgan, Dr. Reid, our press liaison, Agent Jareau, and our technical analyst, Penelope Garcia.”

“It’s great to meet you all,” you said. “I know this is completely different from White Collar, but I believe my skills will be put to better use here.”

“So, White Collar,” the man introduced as Agent Morgan said. “What was that like?”

You shrugged. “Pretty boring. It was mostly busting old white men for money laundering or soliciting prostitutes.”

“And you’d rather bust white guys for murdering?” Agent Prentiss asked. 

“Exactly.”

“Well, we were just about to go over the facts for a new case, but if you want to sit it out and settle in to the office-”

“No need, Hotch,” you said. “I’m ready to be a part of this team.” You took a seat at the table. “Fill me in.”

~

“So, what made you want to transfer to the BAU?” Emily Prentiss asked you on the jet.

You sighed and looked out the window of the jet. “A bunch of reasons. White Collar was full of sexist guys who would jump at the chance to send me undercover as a prostitute, everyone was ready to kill each other to get promoted. It was a long time coming.”

“This is a whole new environment,” Prentiss said. “It’s not a desk job.”

You shrugged. “I was never meant for a desk job anyway. I grew up as the only girl in a house full of guys. I spent most of my time learning hand-to-hand with my older brothers and learning to shoot with my dad. I need to be in a job that keeps me on my toes.”

“Well, you’ll definitely get that from this job,” Emily said.

~

You became a valuable member to the team before you knew it. You loved the whole team, but Emily and Penelope were your best friends. And you had a huge crush on Spencer. Emily and Penelope teased you about it, but didn’t pressure you to do anything. 

“You know,” Emily said over lunch one afternoon, “the man you like romantically is supposed to reflect the values you see in your father.”

“Yeah, well, Freud was an idiot,” you said, stabbing the crouton in your salad. “The man I like is nothing like my dad. Couldn’t be more different.”

“So, your dad isn’t like Reid?” Emily asked, taking a sip of her drink, keeping her eyes on you.

You scoffed. “Please. If anything, my dad was more like Morgan. He was this big, strong man with big opinions who wasn’t afraid to mix it up with people. Or animals. Spencer couldn’t be more different. But I know it’s not gonna happen. So,” you said, changing the subject, “when do you think JJ’s gonna admit she’s dating Will?”

~

“Hey, Birthday Girl,” Morgan said, coming over to your desk, “we’re taking you out for drinks tonight.”

“Oh, I’m not really a party person,” you said. “I’m not a fan of crowds. My idea of a party is a few friends coming over, ordering a pizza and watching Disney movies until the early morning hours.”

“Wow. No, you’re coming out with us. We’re going to a bar, and we’re gonna get wasted.”

So you got pulled out to the D.C. bars after work that night. It wasn’t as bad as you were expecting, but maybe that was because your friends were making the night enjoyable. JJ and Reid were staying sober to make sure everyone got home safe, but the rest of you,  _ including  _ Hotch, were drinking and partying.

“Spencer! Come dance with me!” you said, pulling on Spencer’s arm.

“I-I think mI’m gonna stay here,” Spencer said. 

“Come on! I wanna dance!”

He looked at the crowd. “That’s, uh, that’s not exactly dancing, (Y/N).”

“Spencerrrrrrrr!”

“I’ll dance with you, (Y/N),” Grant Anderson, a desk-duty BAU agent offered.

“Yes! Let’s go!” You pulled Anderson onto the dance floor, and Reid watched you go.

“You okay, Spence?” JJ asked, sitting next to him.

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, Spencer,” JJ said, sipping her ginger ale. “I know you like her. And so does Morgan. And I’m sure seeing her dance with Anderson isn’t sitting right with you.”

“She’s not thinking straight,” Reid said. “She’s completely inebriated. Besides, she doesn’t like me like that. We’re friends.”

“Sure, Spence. Sure.”

~

The team was sitting around the table, getting the latest casefile from JJ. JJ was sitting down, headphones over her baby bump, clicking through the pictures of the case.

“Wheels up in thirty,” Hotch said after JJ got through the report. 

You took a deep breath and folded up your file. 

“Hey, you alright?” Spencer asked you. “You seemed a little off at the briefing.”

“Yeah, I’m-I’m fine,” you said. “It’s nothing. Just family stuff.”

“You’re sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. Let’s get to the airstrip, okay?”

Hotch pulled you aside before you boarded the plane. “Are you sure you don’t want to take a few days off?”

“Hotch, I’m fine. My brothers being dicks is nothing new, it won’t affect how I do my job. Let’s just get to the case.”

While reviewing what you knew on the jet, your phone continued to ping in your pocket. 

“Shouldn’t you get that?” Morgan asked you after what felt like the fiftieth text came through. 

“It’s just my brothers,” you said. “It’s not important. They’re arguing over stupid shit in our group chat.” You pulled your phone out and turned it off. “They know how to reach me if it’s an emergency. Now, what were we talking about?”

~

“Jayje, you feeling okay?” you asked her, sitting next to her in the breakroom of the precinct. 

“Tired of being pregnant,” she sighed. “Missing caffeine.”

“Is he kicking yet?”

“He just started,” JJ smiled, resting her hand on her stomach. “I had Spence feel him kick and it freaked him out.”

You laughed. “Who would have thought the doctor would be freaked out by pregnancy? So, have you and Will picked out any names yet?”

Emily and Spencer were sitting in the conference room, looking into the breakroom at you and JJ. 

“You thinking about it?” Emily asked Spencer.

“Thinking about what?”

“Having little baby geniuses one day.”

Spencer’s eyes drifted to you. “Maybe one day.”

Emily followed his line of sight and smiled to herself. 

~

“It’s ridiculous,” you said over breakfast with Emily and Spencer the next day. “My brothers want me to drop everything to fly home and help them go through our hoarder father’s belongings.” You stabbed a piece of fruit. “I’m not going to take a week off just to argue over old stacks of newspapers.”

“Wait, I’m lost,” Emily said. “What happened with your dad?”

You sighed. “When I was in college, my dad had an injury at work that left him paralyzed from the waist down. My oldest brother, Joey, decided to move in with him to take care of him, since he was always kind of the caretaker of us when we were kids. But he has early onset dementia, and my brother can’t take care of him anymore. We’re trying to sell the house because none of us need such a big place, but all of my dad’s shit makes the people on  _ Hoarders  _ look like neat-freaks.”

“Gross.”

“You know, studies have shown that hoarders have a greater prev-”

“Reid.” Emily set her hand on top of his. “Not now.”

You stabbed at the food in front of you. “And my older brothers are being dicks about it, every step of the way, making it hell for me and my little brother.”

“Well, you know we’re here for you, (Y/N/N).”

“Thanks, Em.” You looked at your watch. “Let’s go, we have to meet Rossi at the victim’s house.”

~

The team finally tracked down the unsub, a man named Simon Travers. You knew the profile, this man wasn’t going to go quietly. He was going to go out in a blaze of glory, if it were up to him. You were all paired up, no one was to go off on their own. This unsub was dangerous, and you all knew it.

You and Spencer were joined by Hotch and Morgan after turning a corner. 

“Simon Travers, FBI!” Derek yelled when you caught up to the man outside the office building.

The world slowed down. You saw Travers raise his gun and you saw where he was aiming. You saw where the bullet was going to land. 

“Spencer!” You jumped into action, shoving him out of the way. Searing pain shot through your shoulder as you and Spencer landed on the ground, you on top of him. 

Hotch and Morgan jumped on Travers, disarming and cuffing him. Morgan read him his rights while Hotch called for a medic. 

You separated from Spencer and ssat up, gripping your shoulder. 

“Oh, my god. (Y/N).” Spencer sat next to you, helping you keep pressure on your shoulder. “You took a bullet for me.”

“I’ll be fine,” you said, blinking back tears from the pain and adrenaline coursing through your body. “It’s just my shoulder. It would have been your heart. I couldn’t let that happen.”

Spencer sat in a rare moment of silence while the medics attended to you and loaded you onto the ambulance. 

“You okay, kid?” Morgan asked, offering his hand to Spencer. 

“She saved my life.”

“Yeah, she did. Come on.” Morgan pulled Spencer up from the floor. “Let’s find the others.”

Everyone was gathered around outside the building. JJ was talking to the press while Rossi and Hotch talked with the lead detective. Emily was the only one not actively busy. 

“Hey, Prentiss,” Morgan said, “they take (L/N) to the hospital?”

“Yeah. We’re waiting for JJ to get done before we all head over to see her.”

“Is she okay?” Spencer asked. 

“She’ll be okay,” Prentiss said. “The paramedics said the bullet tore through some muscle and she won’t be able to use her arm for a while, but it’ll heal and she’ll be good as new.” She rested her hand on Spencer’s shoulder. “Are  _ you  _ okay?”

“I’m… not sure. She got shot to save me.”

“I’m sure she would have done the same for any of us,” Morgan said. “It’s just who she is.”

~

Your shoulder was wrapped up and your arm was pinned in place to ensure you didn’t move it. The pain medicine the doctor had you on was starting to wear off, and the ache in your shoulder was coming back. You were about to ring for the doctor when the team filtered in. 

“Hey. The nurse said it was okay if we came back to see you,” Emily said, taking the chair next to the bed. 

“How are you feeling?” Hotch asked you.

“Well, I got shot by a psychopath and now my arm is useless for the next few weeks.” You winced. “And my pain meds are starting to wear off.”

“Are you okay to fly? I can drive you back if you can’t.”

“I should be okay, Hotch. Besides, it would take days to get back to Quantico, and I really want to sleep in my own bed. They should be letting me out of here in the morning.”

“Well, we’ll let you get some rest,” Rossi said. “Let’s go, out.” He ushered the team out of the room, leaving you and Spencer. 

“Hey.”

Spencer sat down in the chair by the bed. “Hey.”

“Are you okay?”

Spencer gave you a small smile. “I should be asking you that.”

“There’s something on your mind. What is it?”

“You saved my life, (Y/N). You risked yourself for me.”

“Of course I did, Spencer,” you said, sitting up in the hospital bed, wincing as pain shot through your shoulder. “I saw where the bullet was heading. It would have killed you. I couldn’t let that happen.” You took his hand in your free one.

Spencer’s cheeks turned pink and he looked down at his lap.

“Reid,” Morgan said, poking his head in. “Let’s go.”

~

_ … a whole new world, a dazzling place I never knew… _

You hummed along to the movie playing on your TV, attempting to make yourself breakfast with one arm. Someone knocked on your door, startling you. You dropped your whisk into the batter in front of you. 

“Ah, damn it.” You sighed and wiped your hand on the dish rag on the counter before heading over to your door. You peered through the peephole before opening the door. “Joey? What are you doing here?”

“I came to give you these,” he said, handing you a reusable shopping bag, “and this.” He smacked the back of your head. 

“Ow, what the fuck, Joe?”

“What were you thinking, jumping in front of a bullet? You could have been killed!”

You set the bag down and rubbed the back of your head. “I was thinking I didn’t want one of my best friends to be killed by a narcissistic psychopath, and that getting shot in the shoulder is less lethal than getting shot in the chest. Why are you here, Joey? I thought you and Adam were busy driving Benji crazy.”

“What, I can’t come check on my baby sister after she gets hurt?” He flopped down on your couch. “How many times have you watched  _ Aladdin  _ since getting time off?”

“For your information, Judgy McJudgerson,” you retorted, “I’ve been going through all the Disney movies, not just my favorite one.” You sat next to him on your couch. “Why are you really here?”

“Come home, (Y/N/N). Come see Dad, you know, while he’s still Dad.”

You sighed and rubbed your face. “I don’t know, Joey.”

“He asks about you, you know. He misses you.”

“Don’t guilt-trip me, Joe. That may work on Adam, but it doesn’t work on me.”

“Come on, it’s not like you have work in the way. I know for a fact you’re on medical leave right now. Come home. Please? Lizzy and I are staying in D.C. for a few days. She wants to sitesee before the baby comes.”

You sighed. “I’ll think about it, Joey.”

“Are you just saying that, or are you really going to think about it?”

“I mean it. I’ll let you know before you leave.”

~

“So, he shows up at my house and asks me to go back home with him,” you told Penelope, sitting in her “batcave” with her. You weren’t allowed to go on cases, but Hotch agreed to let you help from Quantico. 

“What are you gonna do?” Penelope asked, sipping the coffee you’d brought her. 

“I don’t know.” You sighed and rubbed your forehead. “I know I probably should, but I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if I can see my dad like that. And I don’t want to go back to that house, and that town.”

“Well, I think you should go,” Penelope said. “I think it would be good for you.” She gripped your hand in hers and gave you a reassuring squeeze.

“Thanks, Pen.”

~

“Hey, has anyone heard from (L/N)?” Reid asked, looking up from his paperwork. “I haven’t seen her, she’s usually here doing something.”

“Oh, yeah,” Emily said, “she went back to her dad’s house to help her brothers clean it for the realtor. She’ll be there for a little while.”

Reid looked at your messy desk. “Oh.”

Prentiss looked at JJ and Morgan, sharing a silent conversation with them.

~

“Oh, (Y/N/N), look at this!” Joey said, holding a picture frame. “It’s the first time Adam and I met you.”

You peered over your brother’s shoulder. “Wow, Adam, nice bowl cut.”

“Shut up, (Y/N)!” your other older brother said, taking the picture. “That was Mom’s fault.”

“Yeah, she messed all of us up, didn’t she?” you laughed. 

“Guys, I’m back!” your little brother, Benji, said. “I brought hoagies!”

“Awesome, lunch!” Adam said. He took the bag from Benji and grabbed a sandwich. 

“Ugh, you’re a human dumpster,” you groaned. 

“Hey, food is food,” Adam said, ripping the deli paper off the hoagie.

You shook your head. “Hey, I’m gonna call work real quick, just to check in.”

“No. No, you’re not,” Joey said, taking your phone from your hand and holding it over his head. “No work. You’re a workaholic, you’re taking a break.”

“Come on!” You jumped trying to grab your phone without reinjuring your shoulder. “Have pity on the wounded, Joseph!”

He tossed it to Adam who, despite being younger, was taller than Joey.

“Oh, you guys are dicks! Come on!”

Your phone started ringing in your brother’s hand. “Ooh, who’s Spencer-heart emoji?”

“Adam, give me my phone!” You kept grabbing for your phone. “Spencer wouldn’t call unless it’s important-”

“Hello?”

“Adam!”

“Oh, no, she can’t come to the- ow!”

You kicked his shin, making him drop your phone. You snatched it up. 

“Hey, Reid. Everything okay? How was the case?”

“Uh, the case was fine, we saved the boy, he’s home and safe. But I wanted to let you know, JJ’s in labor.”

“What? Oh my gosh! Are you and the team there with her?”

“Actually, I’m still in Vegas.”

“Is everything okay? Is your mom okay?”

“Mom’s okay. Um, how would you feel if you found out your mom only lived ten minutes away but never visited?”

“Oh, my god, Spence, I’m so sorry. That sucks.”

“It’s alright, Rossi scared him a little bit. How are things going with your family?”

You looked around at all three of your brothers, who were staring at you, making suggestive gestures. You rolled your eyes and flipped them off. “I can’t wait to come back to the team. Hotch said he’ll let me come along again in a week, I just have to stay out of the field.”

“Well, we miss you.”

“I miss you guys too, give the others my love.”

~

You stood at the front desk of the nursing home, signing your visitor’s badge. Your hands were shaking as you signed the visitor’s form on the clipboard. 

“He’ll be out on the patio, Ms. (L/N),” the receptionist told you. 

“Thank you.” You stepped out the back door to the sunny patio. You spotted your father sitting in his wheelchair, apart from the rest of the group. That much hadn’t changed. You walked over, your hands in your pockets. “Hi, Dad.”

He turned to you and looked at you blankly for a minute before his face lit up. “Beanie! My baby girl!” He turned to one of the nurses. “Gladys, this is my Beanie!”

“Oh, well, it’s nice to finally meet you, ma’am,” the nurse said. You shook her hand and turned back to your father, who was watching the bird feeders. 

He turned back to you. “Mary? What are you doing here?”

“N-no, Dad. It’s me. It’s your Beanie. It’s (Y/N),” you said, your throat tightening.

~

“Hey, she’s back!” Derek said when you walked into the office. 

“How was your trip home?” Emily asked after you sat down at your desk. “You okay?”

You sorted through the papers on your desk. “Could’ve been worse.” You picked up a stack of papers and tapped it against the desk. “I don’t want to talk about it.” You shoved the stack in your desk, slamming it closed. “And if any of you even  _ think  _ about profiling me-”

“Guys, round-table. Now.” Hotch said, standing outside his office.

After Agent Todd went over the case, the team made their way to their desks for their go-bags. You got up and went to grab your own. 

“Uh, (L/N), can you come here a minute?” Hotch asked. You walked over to him. “Is everything okay?”

“I’m fine, Hotch. I’m just ready to get back to work. I’ve spent enough time sitting at home.”

“No, how was your trip home? I know your arm is healing fine, I want to know how  _ you  _ are.”

You looked out at the bullpen to make sure no one was within earshot. “My dad’s not doing well. He’s going fast.”

“Oh, (Y/N), I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I just need to get back to work.”

Hotch rested his hand on your shoulder before walking back to his office. You walked down the stairs to your desk and grabbed your bag. 

“Hey, everything okay? What did Hotch want?” Emily asked. 

“Just wanted to make sure I was okay to come back,” you half-lied. “Let’s get to the airstrip.”

~

You sat on the jet, looking over the file, mumbling a song under your breath.

“Are you okay?” Reid asked, looking up at you. 

“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You only sing to yourself when you’re upset about something. What’s wrong?” He set his file down and gripped your hand in his own. “You can talk to me.”

You sighed. “I don’t know how to handle all this,” you admitted. “I saw my dad and… he’s not- he’s not Dad anymore. It took him a while to even recognize me.” Your throat tightened. “We had to meet with a lawyer to discuss his will. I don’t know how to handle this. It’s so much.”

Spencer squeezed your hand. “You’ll get through it. You’re strong. And you know we’re all here for you.” Morgan walked down the jet from the kitchen, and Spencer let go of your hand, clearing his throat and going back to his file. 

After a moment of confusion, you picked up your file again, muttering songs to yourself.

~

“So, when are you gonna ask (L/N) out?” Morgan asked Reid while on a coffee run for the team. 

“Wh-what? What are you talking about?”

“Oh, come  _ on _ , kid. The tension between you two is so thick you can cut it with a knife.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Spencer said, mixing sugar into your coffee. 

“Reid, you memorized how she takes her coffee.”

“I have an eidetic memory.”

“Okay, how does Prentiss take  _ her  _ coffee?”

“Uh…”

“My point exactly. You look at her like she holds the moon in her hands. I’ve never seen you look at anybody like that.”

Spencer looked down at the cup of coffee, spinning it in his hands. “She doesn’t like me like that.”

“You kidding me? She-”

“Hey, what’s taking the coffees so long?” you asked, popping your head in the breakroom. “Are you harvesting the beans yourselves?”

“Ha-ha, (L/N).” Morgan rolled his eyes and took the cup Spencer prepared for you. “Here’s your high-maintenance coffee.”

“Thanks, Derek. Reid, you okay?”

“Hmm? Yeah, I’m-I’m good.”

“Well, then, let’s get back to the case.”

~

“Am I crazy?” you asked Emily and Jordan after getting back to the hotel after finally solving the case. “I mean, I have this huge crush on a guy who’s probably never going to be more than a friend.” You took a sip of your cocktail. 

“I don’t know, (Y/N/N),” Emily said. “I think he might see you as more than just a friend.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We see the way he looks at you,” Jordan said. “I mean, I know I’m new, but you don’t look at friends like that.”

You twisted the glass in your hand. “Then why hasn’t he said anything?”

“Well, it’s Reid. He doesn’t deal with emotions too well.” Emily nudged your arm. “You know, you could make the first move. Ask  _ him  _ out.”

“Yeah, you don’t seem to be too shy,” Jordan said. “You’re more confident than Derek some days.”

“You know, you’re right,” you said, nodding. “You guys are right. I should ask him out.”

“Yeah!”

“Ask him out!”

“I’m gonna go ask him out!” You got up from the hotel bar. “I’m gonna do it!”

The girls egged you on as you made your way from the bar to the elevator. After getting to the floor you and the team were staying on, you made your way to Spencer’s room, knocking on the door. 

“(Y/N)? What’s going on?”

“I like you, Spencer,” you said. “I  _ really  _ like you. I might be in love with you.”

Spencer stood in the doorway, stunned for a moment. You stood there, biting your lip. Spencer pulled you close and kissed you. You wrapped your arms around his neck as he pulled you back into his room, closing the door.

On the other side, the team stood just out of sight. They’d watched the whole thing. They exchanged money, Todd and Rossi grumbling, Morgan, Prentiss, and Hotch smiling as they took the money.


End file.
